The weather is getting colder, and it's that time of year again when people don't feel like exercising. If you don't exercise every day and just eat and drink a lot, it's no wonder you're gaining weight! It's time to lose weight! Actually, the key to weight loss in winter is to increase your basal metabolic rate. Besides eating less and exercising more, boosting your metabolism can effectively help you lose weight. How exactly do you do it? Let's take a look at the methods provided!
Before understanding the thermic effect, it's essential to know how the calories from the food we eat are used. Firstly, 70% of the body's energy is used for basic metabolism in every cell; 20% is used for energy expenditure during movement and activity; and 10% is used to maintain body temperature.
In fact, simply increasing the body's thermic effect can effectively raise the basal metabolic rate.
The so-called thermogenic effect refers to the body's response to stimuli, which increases the resting metabolic rate to promote the burning of body fat. Experts believe that these stimuli generally activate the sympathetic nervous system, thereby producing a chemical thermogenic effect. Examples include food intake, exposure to cold environments, drug-induced effects, and psychological influences such as fear. Such stimulation can significantly increase the basal metabolic rate by 10% to 15%, thus transforming the body into one that easily burns calories.
While it's true that knowing your body's heat production can help with weight loss, you wouldn't be so "genius" as to increase your body's heat production by getting a "cold" or "fever," would you? There are healthy and easy-to-implement methods to increase your body's heat production, and you must incorporate them into your daily life. These methods can be very effective in helping you lose weight, so ladies, be sure to follow them diligently!
1. Breakfast must be eaten early.
In your weight loss diet, I must remind you that breakfast is not only essential, but it should be eaten early. Why? Ideally, it should be finished before 9 AM. This is because after we eat, our bodies produce a lot of thermic effects, causing our body temperature to rise rapidly. For those trying to lose weight, this physiological mechanism is best started as early as possible, allowing the body to begin burning calories and start the day right. Think about it: your friends who maintain a healthy and slim figure may not all have the habit of eating breakfast early, but those who consistently sleep until late morning and mix brunch with afternoon tea certainly don't have a perfect, ideal figure!
2. Eat three meals a day as usual.
If you understand that when we eat, our bodies begin to generate heat and consume energy, then why would you want to skip a meal? When we eat a certain amount of food, energy expenditure automatically kicks in. Therefore, eating three meals a day consumes significantly more energy than eating only two or one meal a day. This is why, if we want to succeed, we need to eat regular, measured meals. Of course, this doesn't mean that the more you eat, the better; it simply means that you need to eat three meals a day.
3. Spicy food
In real life, many women who love spicy food have likely experienced the sensations of sweating profusely, blushing, and having their heart race after eating chili peppers. This reaction to spicy food is actually quite similar to the reaction after stimulating the sympathetic nervous system. Eating spicy food can effectively warm the body and activate the sympathetic nervous system, making calorie metabolism more vigorous, and some calories will be consumed as body heat. Therefore, for women who want to lose weight, eating spicy food in moderation is a good choice. However, before eating it, you should consider your digestive health. Choose to eat spicy food only once out of three meals, and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation and gastrointestinal discomfort.
4. Aerobic exercise
To maximize fat-burning effects, it's essential to engage in full-body aerobic exercise. Running, swimming, and cycling are all suitable aerobic exercises. A light aerobic workout upon waking in the morning will invigorate you. After your body has been fully active and you've eaten, then you can proceed with weight training to prevent muscle injury and promote better muscle growth.
5. Massage and patting
Stimulating the meridians by patting the skin's surface can actually be a good way to aid weight loss. You can pat and massage your entire body's muscles whenever you have free time; this not only invigorates the body but also gives your skin a healthy glow. You can focus on massaging the sides of the back, the bladder meridian, the spleen and stomach meridians on the lower abdomen, and the front of the abdomen; this will greatly help regulate internal bodily functions.
If you follow the methods above, you can have a perfect figure!
